You’re making some pretty strong assumptions yourself there litost (i.e. they’re over-reacting and/or being deceived). The reason I’m so ‘huffy’ is because the OP, on the basis of two opinion polls, apparently thinks that either (if we give her the benefit of the doubt) 28 million or (if we take the OP at face value) ‘vast numbers’ of the electorate are somehow unworthy of partaking in the democratic process. Personally, I have a hard time seeing how anyone (Republican, Democrat, Independent or whatever) could support this.
Sure, my statements were made under the assumptions which I stated clearly. I think my assumptions are tenable in some scenarios.
An example: If Bush makes a trip to Iraq just before the election and it sways voters towards him…
I have seen worse emotional over-reactions during election times.
That said, I do think the OP (in this instance) has overreacted to two opinion polls. I don’t think they dictate how the populace will actually vote.
** litost, ** thank you.
** Sam, ** you make me proud. See how easy it is to discuss or debate what I actually said, as opposed to shit you make up?
You don’t wonder that at all. It’s a silly question for several reasons, but the easiest answer is the one I’ve given twice already: of course I like it when they swing in my direction, but it doesn’t raise my opinion how they arrive there.
** Wabbit, ** I admire your faith that pretty much everybody is groovy. I don’t share it. But I have never advocated anywhere that anyone be prevented from participating. I’ve advocated that they educate themselves before they do.
Learn from Sam’s shining example, and learn to argue with what I have said, not what you make up to argue with.
Stoid: No problems there–an educated public is more valuable in selecting leaders than an ignorant one. I took issue with what I saw as the elitist tone of your OP (and I think you’ve since toned down some of the more inflamatory rhetoric) because it strikes at the core of what democracy is all about. I think we can both agree with that, at least.